Debt collection firm its nothing to do with me

[directhex]

don't even make it black. just make it a letter detailing exactly why they're out of line and why what they're doing is considered harassment

hell, the moebius fax got a lot less effective when people started receiving faxes straight as email

[Rave]

Why doesn't anything like this ever happen to me? Think of the fun you could have. All I get are endless letters addressed to various debtors who used to live here. One enterprising company (having received no reply, and possibly one of my returned letters, though I bin most of them) wrote to 'The Householder' asking me to write back or call them if I knew the whereabouts of the prevfious occupant. There was no SAE with the letter, and the number wasn't freephone, but it wasn't 0845 or 0870 either and I get loads of free minutes that I don't use, so I thought 'what the hell' and decided to call back and tell them that no, I didn't know where the previous occupant was (which I would have stated with sufficient intonation to suggest that even if I did know I wouldn't tell them). I rang the number four times, and never got an answer. How do they expect to recover debts with that kind of inefficiency?.

I'm really looking forward to the day when one of these companies finally gets round to sending a bailiff here with a court order, just because it'll be great fun to sneer at them. "What part of 'not known at this address' is so hard to understand? Oh, you didn't get my returned letters because you're so tight that you use UKMail. Who's fault is that exactly?"

But I fear it'll never happen.

Anyway a quick google for the company you mentioned turned up plenty of info and some email addresses. Surely you can think of some fun things to do with that information.

[jem]

Yes i could do some fun things and i think i will now im going to wait till i hear from them again before i start anything.I did have the bailiff come round two years ago i had fun with them they told me be like that we will be round again,But hey they have not been knocking at my door again....If they did all im going to do is to say ok can you wait one minute and shut the door then phone the police to come round.

[Shooty*]

The problem with writing them letters is that, like most companies, they'll be incompetent and not everyone will be aware of the letter, or it won't make it to the file, yadda yadda yadda.

I'd get the police involved. Or a lawyer. Nice strongly worded legal letter threatening damages for stress and inconvenience. That should do the job. (speaking as a lawyer)

[jem]

The police wont get involved They told me to go to a solicitor when they have the free 30minutes,So thats one option that will happen.

[Shooty*]

The police wont get involved They told me to go to a solicitor when they have the free 30minutes,So thats one option that will happen.

Your local CAB might be staffed by a solicitor who'll write something down.

(Citizens Advice Bureau)

[jem]

Cheers thats the people i shall go to then

[Barakka]

If they have contact information for someone that used to live there they are entitled to try a few times to contact that person - for all they know you could be the person they're after just telling them you're not and they don't live there any more. That's not harrasment.

What they can't do is phone you more than once in a single day that is harrassment - PROVIDING you've answered, three missed calls doesn't count.

What you need to do is write to them as mentioned earlier with some documentation that you are correct then give them time to action it.

The endless fax trick is absolutely pointless these days, most companies have a fax server to handle their faxing which will just delete it as junk mail.

The thing to remember is that they are chasing someone who doesn't want to pay a debt, so they are allowed to try and make contact, and they don't need to be overly polite about it, it's not an unsolicited sales call.

My advice would be to send them a letter recorded-delivery stating that the debtor no longer lives there and keep the slip. Then answer their calls each time being calm and telling them the debtor no longer lives there, you've sent a letter confirming it and record the date and time of the calls. Give them about a week after receiving the letter and if they're still calling ask to speak to a manager (there WILL be one) and tell them that they have one week to stop calling you or you will take it up with the CSA - Credit Services Association This should stop it , if not report it via the link to the CSA site detailing your records of the letter receipt and subsequent call dates and outcomes.

[Shooty*]

But.... but... but... he's DONE all that, and been very clear that this has been going on for some time, and that they try several times a day.

[Barakka]

But.... but... but... he's DONE all that, and been very clear that this has been going on for some time, and that they try several times a day.

But he also said he'd had some fun asking them to sing along etc. - that is likely to get the number put back on the list and the letter ignored as it will arouse suspicsion that it is the right number and you are the debtor. Remember this is NOT a sales company, the debtor is not their customer, and they don't have to be nice, too many people confuse this with the rights for sales calls, they're not the same.

He didn't say anything about recorded delivery or if the multiple calls were missed or answered calls, they are different. The procedure I mentioned should work and stop future calls, you need to prove that you are being reasonable, polite and calm and document everything then if it fails report them. If I read this wrong and everything has been done in this way and recorded then jump straight to reporting to the CSA.

Hope this Helps.

[jem]

Letters are not going to work at all,Been done by the council,Yes i had fun with them but come on three years of them phoning and phoning i think you would get a bit fed up when they will not listen to what i have to say,I even spoke to the manager who was just as rude as the staff.He said it would be sorted.O ive only just been funny like singing the last two months,Yes everything has been done the right way like you said,I went to the police and they said they cant do nothing,They told me i can be as rude as i like as its them who is phoning me on my private line.

Thanks for advice.

[Barakka]

If you've tried everything then you need to contact the CSA from the above link - they will listen to them, they can't operate without membership.